Your original idea is not working and your runway is shrinking. Navigate the agonizing decision between persistence and pivoting.
Part of
Startup Survival →
The glamour of entrepreneurship meets the reality of runway, rejection, and ramen. Navigate the emotional and strategic challenges of building something from nothing. You'll navigate four escalating scenarios — from the pivot moment to the first customer — practicing the decisions that matter most when the pressure is real and the stakes are personal. This isn't theory. It's practice for the moments that define how this chapter of your life unfolds.
Skills you'll build
What happens in this story4 scenarios
Three months of runway left and the metrics are flat. You stare at the dashboard and the dashboard stares back — neither of you blinks, but one of you is lying.
Your co-founder says the word "pivot" and it lands like a grenade in the room. The idea you built, pitched, and believed in is not working — and admitting it feels like admitting you were wrong about everything.
You interview five customers and three of them describe a problem you can solve — just not the one you have been solving. The pivot is forming whether you choose it or not.
You kill your darling and start building something the market actually wants. It hurts in places you did not expect — but the runway suddenly feels longer and the conversations with investors get real.
More stories in this course
View all →The Co-Founder Conflict
You and your co-founder disagree on something fundamental. The stakes are existential and the relationship is everything.
4 scenarios →The Runway Clock
Three months of money left and the fundraise is not going well. Make impossible decisions about what to cut and what to protect.
4 scenarios →The First Customer
Someone is willing to pay for what you built. Navigate the transition from building to selling without losing your soul or your vision.
4 scenarios →The Pivot Moment
Your original idea is not working and your runway is shrinking. Navigate the agonizing decision between persistence and pivoting.
Start free →4 scenarios · 25 min · No account required to try